1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed herein relates generally to a surface-dimensional track system, cars for use therein, and methods of use thereof. More specifically, preferred embodiments of the disclosed invention relate to a track system having one or a plurality of cars stably-mounted thereto that are each freely movable along any track surface path substantially free from collision with each other car or other obstacles on the surface.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Coordinated, independent movement and conveyance is an important aspect of automation in many industries. In automated warehousing, storage, retrieval, case picking, and related fields, prior art systems often allow only limited movement within narrow confines of a fixed track or an open area. However, even when a given track or system is designed to encompass a two-dimensional surface, movement of cars or devices along the track is restricted to segmental motion in combinations of steps in the x and/or y directions. While there has been some research in robotics relating to cars having totally free movement on open floor surfaces, such systems have the disadvantage of being restricted to a floor surface. Known free-roaming robots cannot be utilized for vertical, or wall-hanging applications, and are not usable for ceiling-hanging systems. Moreover, free-standing vehicles do not have as much stability or support from tipping over vehicles attached in some manner to a floor-mounted track system.
Automated ceiling suspended conveyance systems have been disclosed in the past. Examples of industries utilizing automated suspended transport include slaughterhouses for carrying carcasses through the butchering process and, in the retail dry cleaning industry, transport for conveyance of specific items of clothing. Movement in such applications has traditionally been confined within the motion accessible with monorail-type track, where only motion in the forward or backward directions along an axis is possible. Such a design will not allow two or more cars to move independently of one another. The same monorail will not support activities that require cars to navigate around each other for either coordinated and cooperative activities or for separate and independent activity.
What is needed in the art is a system that simultaneously provides for the following: (1) the mounting of the cars or devices to a track to provide stability; (2) the ability of cars to move freely in any direction across a surface formed by the track system; and (3) the ability of the cars to freely navigate about each other without entangling or crashing, such as by local attachment of the cars to the track. However, the known prior art does not include technology that satisfies all three of these objectives. For example, known remote control cars of the prior art are not mounted to the track to provide stability, being only “attached” to the floor by the weight of the cars due to gravity. Monorail and coaster-type conveyance systems are firmly attached to their tracks, however they are limited to motion to essentially linear paths along a single dimension of a surface. Furthermore, gantry cranes and XY tables generally only support one moving object and are not adapted for accommodation of multiple cars that can navigate about each other.